Super Edition: Snowfrost's Fate
by The Land's Star
Summary: Snowfrost had always been a loyal medicine cat. But when a mistake threatens her career, Snowfrost's life is thrown on its head. But she still strives to follow her dream: to go down in history. Will she return to walk down a Starclan driven path, or will her pawsteps lead her to darker places?
1. Allegiances

**Grassclan**

**Leader**

: Whitestar- chocolate point (Siamese) she-cat with a plumed tail and blue eyes (_Apprentice: Gingerpaw_)

**Deputy**: Chicorynose- beautiful fawn she-cat with a plumed tail and pale green eyes

**Medicine Cat**: Snowfrost- silver lynx point she-cat with a plumed tail and blue eyes (_Apprentice: Goldenpaw_)

**Code Keeper**_(a cat who keeps law and order)_: Redwhisker- dark ginger and white tom with yellow-green eyes (_Apprentice: Dewpaw)_

**Warriors** _(_fully trainedcatswithout kits):

Phesantstripe- handsome fawn tabby tom with green eyes

Sunstrike- ruddy ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Peppertoe- dark tortoiseshell she-cat

Tigerfang- dark brown tabby tom* with amber eyes

Snailear- white tom with ginger patches and mix matched eyes (one blue and one green) (_Apprentice: Wasppaw_)

Slugsnout- ginger and white tom with amber eyes (_Apprentice: Beetlepaw_)

Ambereye- pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Sheeptail- white tom with odd curly fur and blue eyes. He is hard of hearing

Cricketsong- light brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Cowpatch- white tom with brown patches and green eyes

Ryestep- greyish- brown tom with amber eyes

Cloverpetal- calico she-cat with yellow-green eyes

Ladybugbite- white she-cat with small ginger and black calico spots on her back mostly near the base of her tail and on her tail, a white tail-tip, and amber eyes

Butterflytail- handsome pale brown tabby tom with hazel green eyes (_Apprentice: Oatpaw_)

Bumblethroat- pale brown tom with black tabby stripes and amber eyes

Flashtail- yellow tabby tom with amber eyes (_Apprentice: Barleypaw_)

Gorseflower- badly scarred brown she-cat with pale green eyes

Rosebloom- albino spotted she-cat with pale blue eyes

Smokesnout- dull black tom with green eyes (_Apprentice: Wheatpaw_)

Tornface- white tom with a huge scar from the tip of his torn right ear to the bottom left of his chin

**Apprentices**_(cats 6 moons old or older in training):_

Dewpaw- white she-cat with silver patches and blue eyes, code keeper apprentice

Gingerpaw- ruddy ginger tom with amber eyes

Wasppaw- dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Goldenpaw- pale golden and white she-cat with a white spot on the bridge of her nose and pale green eyes

Beetlepaw- ginger and white tom with extra ginger patches and yellow eyes

Barleypaw- pale yellow tom with amber eyes

Wheatpaw- pale tabby tom with yellow eyes

Oatpaw- yellow tabby she-cat* with amber eyes

**Queens**_(cats who care for kits and give advice to the clan):_

**_Den Mother_**_("leader" of the queens):_ Posytail- lilac she-cat with hazel eyes [mother of Phesantstripe's kits: Quailkit [light brown tabby mollykit with darker stripes] and Heatherkit [lilac mollykit])

Ashwhisker- dilute tortoiseshell tom* with yellow-green eyes (Father of Smokesnout's kits: Shadowkit [black tomkit, Shadekit [dark grey mollykit] and Starlingkit [dull black tomkit with darker black flecks])

Lilacbreeze- pale tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Jaybird- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Mallowlight- brown she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Sandclaw's [Oceanclan warrior] kits: Otterkit [brown mollykit] and Cinnamonkit [lilac mollykit])

Elders_(cats who have retired from their duties):_

Boulderfall- dark brown tom with a grey muzzle and green eyes

Meadowcall- dark ginger she-cat with yellow-green eyes

Poppycloud- dark ginger she-cat with orange eyes

**Cats outside the clan:**

Wolfheart- Treeclan warrior, long haired grey and white tom with green eyes

Brightsky- Treeclan queen, white and black patched she-cat with blue eyes

Misty- Silver-grey tabby she-cat with green eyes and a bumblebee collar. Lives in Twolegplace as a kittypet

Usagi- Purebred Japanese Bobtail; white and black she-cat with blue eyes [mother of Hana, Aiko, Tama, and Yuki]. Lives in Twolegplace as a kittypet


	2. Chapter 1

_"We can't keep them, Snowfrost," Wolfheart stressed firmly. "Even if we aren't together anymore I don't want anything happening to you. It's hard...but at least we'll know they'll be safe. The Twolegs will take care of them."_

Wolfheart's words echoed in Snowfrost's mind as she stormed away from the Treeclan border, back to her own clan. Every hair on her body stood on end with fury. Her claws were unsheathed, gathering dirt and debris with every pawstep. The blood in her ears roared, blocking out every sound except for her own thoughts. If smoke could bellow out of her ears, it would. Though anger directed most of her actions, it was a small pang of sadness tugging at her heart which directed her pawsteps. If it hadn't been for the heartache, Snowfrost may have attacked her ex-mate. But she could never bring herself to do that, no matter how much he'd betray her. Deep down she still loved him. And in her heart of hearts she knew that he still loved her too.

The closer that Snowfrost drew to home, the more her anger began to melt away into sadness. As she passed by The Dip, the lynx point molly found herself unable to move any farther. She stopped abruptly, legs trembling. Her head drooped, and all of her pent up feelings came spilling out. Snowfrost sobbed harshly, clear glimmering tears slipping down her cheeks, dampening her fur. Her already unsheathed claws dug into the earth she stood on, trying to keep her grounded, trying so hard to stop herself from falling over into a crying heap in the dust. Her body felt heavy, as if a weight was pressing on her back. It was as if the whole world had suddenly come crashing down on her. Perhaps it had. Now she knew she had truly lost the love of her life forever, and her career was now in danger because of a stupid mistake. Not only that, but soon she would have kits to take care of. Everything that Snowfrost had ever wanted was being taken away from her. Her destiny, her love, all gone. Over some unborn kits. Maybe Wolfheart was right, maybe she should get rid of the kits. It would be whats best for her after all. But those kits were the last reminder that she had of Wolfheart's love. How could she possibly give them up?

Calming down, Snowfrost decided that she would think about her circumstances more later. She forced herself to regain composure and move on, running the rest of the way back to camp.

Upon arrival she carefully slipped back into the medicine den, tiptoeing past Goldenpaw so as not to disturb her, and curled up in her own nest.Crying still, Snowfrost was stuck awake for much longer than she would have liked. Thoughts continued to fly through her mind like an angry flock of birds as she reflected on her situation, and what the future may hold. Fatigue finally took hold of her after a while, pulling her into a deep, restful slumber.

ooo

_The clatter of unfamiliar voices filled Snowfrost's ears as she opened her eyes, arriving in a giant familiar clearing surrounded by bushes and birch trees which towered higher than her line of sight. She was only a 'paw now, named three-quarter moons ago. This was Snowpaw's first gatheringas a medicinecat apprentice, and excitement prickled across her pelt like a crackle of lighting. When Lightstar dismissed the patrol, she wasted no time weaving her way through the crowd. She wanted to meet every cats present, to introduce herself to all those in The Land's Star. 'My name is Snowpaw and I am going to go down in history!' Snowpaw became lost in her senses, unable to fully pay attention to where she was going. Something large and sturdy blocked her path as she walked, nearly knocking her over. Her attention immediately snapped back to reality. She let out a soft "oof" and she backed up to look up at what she'd hit, blinking as she got her senses right. Standing in front of her was a stocky grey and white tom. He was handsome, with long sleek fur and a large broad head. He was tall, not like a warrior, but he was big compared to her. The scent of sap and wood flooded her nostrils, giving away that the tom was from Treeclan. Pale green eyes locked onto Snowpaw, making the medicine cat apprentice feel small.__"Oh, I apologize," she meeped. "I did not realize anyone was in my path."__The tom stared at her for a heartbeat before letting out a chuckle.__"Don't worry about it," he responded. "Just be more careful next time."__"I...I will," she promised. Snowpaw licked her chest fur nervously, glancing up at the stranger as she did so. The tom took a step forward, giving her a sniff.Snowpaw stiffened.__"Is this your first gathering? I don't remember seeing you here before."__Snowpaw gave a nod, straightening herself up. She forced herself to lift her chin in order to appear more confident. She was a proud apprentice and was ready to show it. "Yes, it is. I was just made apprentice not long ago. My name is Snowpaw, of Grassclan."__"Snowpaw, huh? Nice to meet you. My name is Wolfpaw, and I'm from-"__"From Treeclan. I know. I can smell it on your fur." Snowpaw's pelt started to warm. Should she have blurted out the fact that she knew what clan he came from? It did show she was observant after all. But would he think it was weird?__Wolfpaw blinked at her in surprise in response. He let out another chuckle, raising his tail in delight. Snowpaw's pelt grew hot at the gesture. This tom was so nice, much more charming and welcoming than she had expected. Were all cats from Treeclan this nice? Or was it Wolfpaw in particular? Snowpaw's heart raced as she thought about it, staring up at Wolfpaw without meaning to. She felt odd, being so in awe of this cat. Perhaps it was just her curiosity tempting her to learn more from the tom.__"You're a strange kit, aren't you?" Wolfpaw commented suddenly.__Snowpaw stepped back in surprise. "I beg your pardon? I am not a kit! I am almost a fully grown medicine cat." She turned her head, raising her nose into the air with closed eyes. She was young, sure, but she was practically fully grown. She was far more intelligent and mature than the other apprentices in her clan. She certainly wanted Wolfpaw to think so.__"Ooh my mistake," Wolfpaw meowed cheekily. "So you're a medicine cat apprentice?"__Snowpaw opened one eye to acknowledge him. She couldn't hold back the smile that began to twist her muzzle.__"I am. Softpetal says I am learning fast already. Perhaps I will receive my name earlier than most," she boasted proudly.__"Really? That's pretty neat. I'm a warrior apprentice myself. My mentor's Blazefang."__"The deputy?" Snowpaw gasped, turning her head to face him again. Wolfpaw smirked.__"Yep. He says he's proud to have me as his apprentice. We both think I'm on the path to becoming a great hunting warrior some day. Though, I'm thinking about becoming a fighter too. I need to work on that a little harder, though."__Snowpaw let out a small snort, brining her head back down to adress Wolfpaw on a more equal level.__"I honestly cannot understand the appeal of such things. It's all so...violent. I find more joy in healing wounds than creating them."__Wolfpaw nodded along as he listened to Snowpaw speak. He turned his head towards Split Rock for a moment before giving her his attention again.__"Hey, would you like to come sit with me by Split Rock when the gathering begins? We can chat a while more until then as well, if you'd enjoy that."__Snowpaw's eyes twinkled with excitement as she looked up at the taller cat, nodding her head with a smile.__"Yes...I'd like that very much, Wolfpaw."__Once again, Wolfpaw smirked. He stood, sweeping his tail around Snowpaw to guide her in the direction he wanted to head. Snowpaw followed him happily, delighted with the chance to get to know him better. She wondered what this might lead to some day. A bubble of excitement floated into her chest as she thought, making her pawsteps feel light and airy. Wherever this may head, Snowpaw was eager to find out._

ooo

The next morning arrived too quickly for Snowfrost's liking. The light from the outside world shined in her eyes uncomfortably and unsettled her from her slumber. Stubbornly, Snowfrost picked up her wool nest and dragged it as far back into the den as possible before settling back into it. She tucked her nose under her tail and closed her eyes as she began to drift back off to her dream land. But just as she was about to fall asleep again, Goldenpaw came bounding into the den, full of energy. Snowfrost tried her best to ignore the apprentice, but the young she-cat seemed persistent in getting her mentor up. Goldenpaw prodded at her side gently, purring a bit. Snowfrost whipped her head up from her nest to glare at her, blue eyes showing annoyance.

"What is it that you want, Goldenpaw?" she growled lowly. Goldenpaw shifted on her paws, a guilty look spreading across her face.

"I know you were sleeping, but...you said today we have to go on a huge herb picking expedition before the frost comes, and that you wanted me to remind you. It's already mid-morning, sooo I thought this would be a good time to head out."

Snowfrost narrowed her eyes at the pale golden she-cat. "Get a Collector to go with you to fetch the herbs we need," she grumbled, resting her chin on her paws. Goldenpaw gave her mentor a concerned look which only annoyed the older she-cat more. She rolled over to face the den wall, her back towards her apprentice. "I need to rest. You can handle it without me, they're just plants."

Goldenpaw parted her jaws to speak, lifting a front leg to her chest before turning her head away, deciding to keep her thoughts to herself. She muttered a quiet "ok", turning tail and heading for the mouth of the den. She gave one more look back at her mentor before slipping out into the clearing.

Snowfrost sighed with relief, grateful for the peace. Goldenpaw was barely the right age to be named as a true medicine cat in any of the other clans, and was still a while away from being ready by Grassclan's standards. But Snowfrost barely had the patience for teaching an apprentice anymore. She knew that Goldenpaw was capable of handling things on her own, maybe she should give her her suffix and be done with it already. However this was a delicate decision that shouldn't be made irrationally or selfishly. Snowfrost made a mental note to think about it more later. For now, she felt like she could sleep for half a moon.

This occurred for several more days. Snowfrost felt constantly lethargic, barely leaving the den except to eat and use the dirtplace. She would make Goldenpaw handle any issues cats would have, or preform any menial tasks that needed to be done. At first the apprentice had become discouraged by this, but Snowfrost made her start to think of it as a final assessment before receiving her medicine cat's name. After that, Goldenpaw didn't seem so reluctant to handle things on her own.

Finally the day of the half-moon arrived. Goldenpaw was clearly eager to get moving on the long journey to the Moon Cavern. She busted into the medicine den at sunhigh while Snowfrost was busy bathing. She beamed at her mentor, kneading the ground.

"It's time to get going," she announced, the enthusiasm in her voice obvious. Snowfrost rolled her eyes playfully and slowly rose to her paws, stretching back on her haunches before following her apprentice out of the den. She contemplated grabbing a bite to eat before going, finding her appetite quickly becoming ravenous over the past few days. She shook her head, clearing it of the thought. _Medicine cats cannot eat before a half-moon meeting_, she reminded herself. Goldenpaw bounced as they walked, giggling with excitement the whole way there. But Snowfrost had finally made the decision on whether tonight would be the night Goldenpaw would be named. Even though she was taking up pretty much all the responsibilities of a medicine cat now, she was still just a little too young. And there wasn't anything special about her healing abilities that would warrant an early naming ceremony. Snowfrost knew her apprentice would be disappointed by the news, but she allowed Goldenpaw to enjoy her excitement while it could last.

When they were halfway to the Moon Cavern, the other medicine cats of the Land's Star caught up with them. Goldenpaw excitedly proclaimed to the other unnamed apprentices, Bluepaw and Swanpaw, that she was receiving her name tonight. A twinge of regret pulled at Snowfrost's stomach. _Oh how disappointed you will be..._

And disappointed she was. Goldenpaw sat and watched as Swanpaw was given her medicine cat's suffix in silence, glancing at her mentor with sad green eyes. Her ears lowered slightly when Snowfrost didn't step forward to announce that she was doing the same. It wasn't the right time for Goldenpaw to become a full medicine cat, Snowfrost reassured herself. This was the right thing. _She still has much to learn. _

After the ceremony, the medicine cats padded over to brush themselves against the low hanging branches of the Star Willow. They all moved to curl up beside the tree's trunk, seperated into their clan pairs, but still together. Most of the apprentices laid with their mentors, while Goldenpaw went to lay closer to the newly named Swanface. She turned her back to her mentor, settling down to share tongues with Starclan. Pangs of conscience swept over Snowfrost as she found herself painfully lonesome in her spot by the sacred willow. Every other cat had at least one companion to lay with. Curlear with Bluepaw, Applefang with Mothsong, Batear with Hawkfern, and Brownstone with Swanface and Goldenpaw. Who was Snowfrost supposed to be with now? No one. Perhaps this was a sign, a sign that she was better off alone. Regardless, as she slept, the guilt of what she'd done never left her, not even for a hearbeat.

For the first time in almost a moon, Snowfrost was given the chance to walk in dreams with Starclan again. Too excited to care about anything else now, she ran across the starry field to speak with her old mentor, Softpetal, who was standing only a couple fox lengths away. But she ran too fast, and instead of crashing into the Starclan cat as she thought she would, Snowfrost completely phased through her. She turned around to apologize to her old friend, but no words managed to escape into the open. Confused, Snowfrost tried to grab her old mentor's attention. She tried to meow, but her noise was deafened. She waved a paw in front of the older cat's face, but Softpetal hardly even blinked. She even tried swatting her with her tail, like she did when waking her up as an apprentice. But nothing worked. It was as if Snowfrost wasn't even there at all. But someone else was.

Goldenpaw appeared before Softpetal and began to sob, her noise echoing in the empty space of the star laden meadow. She stepped forward and buried her nose into the Starclan cat's chest, her cries muffled by soft, silver spotted fur. The old she-cat nuzzled her and comforted her as she wept. Snowfrost suddenly felt rage wash over her. Why wasn't Softpetal able to see _her_.

The unexpected sound of mewling below caught Snowfrost's attention, snapping her out of her rage. She glanced down at her paws to see four tiny stars-almost shaped like kittens- sitting in front of her. The starry shapes bounced and weaved around her legs for a moment before walking into her and disappearing. At the same instance, a warmth pooled inside of her belly. Snowfrost sat down, brushing her tail over the area. It didn't take long for to realize why she was unable to talk with her Starclan friends now.

"It's so unfair!" A voice yowled abruptly. Snowfrost looked up to stare at Goldenpaw who was still crying to Softpetal.

"_I_ was supposed to become a medicine cat tonight! Snowfrost promised!" she blubbered. Softpetal nodded slowly in understanding.

"Do not fret, child. You will be named very soon. But you are already Grassclan's true medicine cat, even as a 'paw. You need to keep your chin up."

"What do you mean..?" Goldenpaw sniffled, looking at the spotted she cat with wonder. Softpetal rested her chin on the top of her head.

"You will know soon enough."

Just as the words had been spoken, the starry scenery around them began to fade away into a flash of white. All of the medicine cats woke up shortly after, sitting up to briefly speak to one another. As they exited the Moon Cavern, they meowed their drowsy goodbyes before going their seperate ways for another half moon, heading back to their home clans.


	3. Chapter 2

Journeying across the meadow, Snowfrost couldn't help but think about the dream. Softpetal's words still rang clear in her ears. _You are already Grassclan's true medicine cat_. She agreed with Goldenpaw's confusion, what was that supposed to mean? She knew the golden apprentice would make a good medicine cat one day, but she wasn't ready just yet. Or perhaps she was? Snowfrost knew she was unable to talk to Starclan now because of her kits. But had her ancestors already disowned her from the roll to the point where they were willing to recognize an _apprentice_ as the new medicine cat? Maybe it was for the best. Though there wasn't anything special about her skills, Goldenpaw was still a good healer. She dedicated every heartbeat of her life to the job and to taking care of the clan. Snowfrost could never say the same about herself. But she knew that Grassclan would be in good paws one day when she was no longer with them. Which may come sooner than expected. For the past half moon, Snowfrost had been thinking about her situation and how she should handle it. After careful consideration she realized the only way that her kits would be safe would be to follow Wolfheart's advice. It was a painful choice to make, but the pain subsided slightly when she decided that wherever she would go, her kittens would stay with her. The only logical thing she could do was leave. It was clear that that must be Starclan's will as well.

Snowfrost gave it some time before she planned to leave the Land's Star. She wanted the clan to get use to their new medicine cat, and get use to not having her around. As she bided her time, Snowfrost forced herself to socialize with the clan's apprentices to pick up a few new hunting and fighting techniques. It could be important later, in case she would need them on her journey to Twolegplace. Wheatpaw, Oatpaw, and Barleypaw were all too eager to flaunt their knowledge. They were young, and easy to goad into showing off. It was the perfect way to learn the skills required, while also avoiding suspicion from her clanmates. Though, Snowfrost noticed some of the older apprentices weren't as easy to mingle with as their younger denmates. Gingerpaw seemed disinterested in showing off to anyone but his mentor, who happened to be Whitestar herself. While Wasppaw, Goldenpaw's brother, kept a distance from Snowfrost. He was probably just as bitter as his littermate was over Goldenpaw not gaining her name. The tom would purposely ignore the medicine cat in favor of giving his attention to a more "worthy" clanmate. _No matter, I still learn what I need from the younger bunch._

By this point in time, the unborn lives inside of Snowfrost made their presence known. They'd wiggle roughly in protest whenever she'd overexert herself, or when she was hungry. She could feel them writher around whenever she was exhausted, as if willing her to sleep. She'd flinch every time they made a move, scared someone might notice her belly twitching like a half dead mouse and question her about it. If she could feel them moving, Snowfrost knew it wouldn't be long until cats began to notice how plump she was becoming. She was already beginning to get strange looks from the queens whenever they'd spot her outside by the fresh-kill pile, and comments from the apprentices that she smelled funny. She'd tried her best to make herself appear small, pressing herself close to the ground and hiding her belly behind her plumed tail. She tried to change her scent too, by rolling in lavander. It became clear to the lynx point molly that she could wait no longer. It was time to make the journey to her new home. Cautious, she made her way to the leader's den to alert Whitestar of her departure. With every pawstep she debated telling her clan leader the truth about why she was leaving, or creating a lie to protect her reputation. By the time she reached the mouth of the den she had made her choice.

"Whitestar?" She called, peering through the crack in Tall Stone. Inside the den she spotted the siamese she-cat laying in her nest. The clan leader beckoned the medicine cat inside with her tail, inviting her to sit.

"To what do I owe this visit, Snowfrost? Has Starclan spoken to you?" asked Whitestar calmly, wrapping her plumed tail around her paws neatly as she sat up.

"Yes they have, Whitestar," Snowfrost replied, lying through her teeth. "They say my connection to them is not as strong as it once was. That I have focused too much on my clanmates, rather than looking to the stars. Omens have been overlooked, and signs missed. They are displeased. So I have been requested to go on a spiritual journey, in order to reconnect with our ancestors. Though I will be gone for...an indefinite amount of time. But I trust that my apprentice will make a fine replacement as medicine cat in my absence." The two she-cats sat in silence for a few heartbeats. Whitestar stared at the lynx point she-cat trying to take in the information she had just given her. Her light blue eyes seemed to see right into Snowfrost's heart, and for a moment she was afraid that her leader didn't believe her.

"Very well. If that is Starclan's will, then so be it. I will have a patrol escort you to the border and see you off on your journey when you are ready to depart." Whitestar replied with a wave of a front paw.

Relief flooded through Snowfrost like water slipping through rock cracks. She stood up and bowed her head respectfully to the Grassclan leader before heading back to her own den. There, she made herself a package of traveling herbs, filled with the basics of burnet, chamomile, daisy leaf, and sorrel. She slathered some left over honey onto the bundle to make it easier to gulp down. She shivered as the herbs' bitter taste still managed to assault her taste buds. Her unborn kits seemed to writher too, making their mother force herself to keep the concoction down as they kicked at her flanks in protest. After another couple heartbeats struggling, they all relaxed. Snowfrost heaved a sigh and turned to press her nose to her side to reassure her unborn brood, before leaving the medicine den for the last time. When she stepped into the clearing, two she-cats approached her. The most easily recognisable for Snowfrost out of the pair was Jaybird, her sister. Next to her stood Ambereye, her mate.

"Whitestar asked us to walk you to the border," meowed the golden she-cat while Jaybird nodded in agreement. Snowfrost dipped her head to the two mollies gratefully.

"I'm ready."

Together the three she-cats made their way out of camp, down the hill, and across the meadow. The grass had begun to dull in color recently; wilted plants decorated the land, some still clinging to seed fluff and pods. A chilly breeze ruffled the she-cats' pelts, stirring up leaves and debris around their paws as they pressed onward. The seasons were preparing to change, and already it was growing ever colder. By the look of things, there would be an early Leafbare this year. Snowfrost found it difficult to keep up with her clanmates the further out they walked. Jaybird seemed to take notice and fell behind to keep the same pace as her sister.

"I know you're going through something," she whispered, keeping her eyes ahead. Snowfrost felt her blood run cold.

"Is that so?" she asked calmly, trying to keep her voice from trembling. Jaybird glanced over at the lynx point molly, giving her a knowing look.

"I know my sister. And I have experience. It's not too hard to figure out what's been going on," Jaybird simply stated. "I just wish you would talk to me more. I could help you."

Snowfrost huffed, glancing away. Deep down she was nervous; any help she could get would be a blessing. But the lynx point molly couldn't bring herself to admit it.

"There is no way you could. I have made this mistake, and I must face the consequences. The only ones who can help now are Starclan," she meowed, sounding indignant without meaning to. Jaybird moved closer, leaning her shoulder against her sister's sympathetically. The warmth from her body was so comforting. Snowfrost briefly reminisced about her kithood; how close they used to be. Everything changed when Snowfrost was made the medicine cat's apprentice. She had all but forgotten about her silver tabby littermate throughout her training, and yet Jaybird still cared for her as if they had been inseparable for seasons. Sadness twisted her heart and Snowfrost felt her kits quiver with empathy. The moment of thought was broken suddenly by Ambereye trying to make conversation.

"Hey if you see any rouge toms lookin to help a molly out, or any rouge queens on your way home, could you scoop up a kit or two for us? Jaybird and I want to raise another litter." Snowfrost twitched her whiskers in annoyance.

"I'll see what I can do," she responded flatly, trying to keep herself from growling. Ambereye was a good cat and a great warrior, but not one of the lynx point she-cat's favorite clanmates.

Snowfrost felt her kits trembling inside her as she stood on the border with her escorts. _Calm down my little ones, we are going someplace where we will be safe. Don't be scared_. She glanced back at Ambereye then turned to Jaybird. She tucked her head under the silver tabby she-cat's chin, nuzzling her.

"I'll miss you," Jaybird whispered. She purred sadly, licking Snowfrost's ears. "I will always be here for you, Snow. If you come back I'll do whatever I can to help. For now...just take care of yourself."

"I will." Snowfrost pulled back to stare at her sister, ice blue eyes meeting darker blue. She waved a last goodbye with her tail as she turned and began to pad off alone, away from the border and into unclaimed territory. _But I'm not alone_, she reminded herself with a soft smile.

"May the winds be on your side!" the mates caterwauled to Snowfrost right before she disappeared from sight.

ooo

Snowfrost wanted to run and get to Twolegplace before it grew dark, but with her belly so heavy with kits she could do no such thing. She padded the rest of the way across half grassy, half forested area. The long shadows casted by the trees as the sun began to set made Snowfrost feel uneasy. This place was completely unfamiliar to her, and though she knew Twolegplace wasn't too far, she knew she couldn't go on any longer today.

Instead, she decided to catch something to eat and then find shelter for the night. She kept walking, tasting the air for scents of prey. Nearby she caught two tempting smells, one of squirrel and one of rabbit. She knew there was no way she'd ever be able to catch a rabbit on her own, and the squirrel was closer anyways. The pregnant molly dropped into a crouch, slowly approaching the fuzzy grey-brown creature. In a flash she lunged forward in a hot pursuit of her target. She managed to pounce on the squirrel then grabbed it by the neck, snapping it between her teeth. Satisfied, she dragged her fresh-kill with her to a nearby tree. The tree's roots were slightly uplifted, creating a perfect little den underneath fit for one. She squeezed herself inside, dragging the squirrel in with her. She delicately tore at its fur with her teeth and claws, placing it around her belly to help keep herself and her unborn kits warm. With her prey all bare, she dug into its meaty flesh. Squirrel was a rare treat; this catch would have been one to be praised back home. But Snowfrost knew that Grassclan wasn't home anymore, Twolegplace was.


	4. Chapter 3

Dawn approached quickly, much to Snowfrost's relief. Sleeping alone in an unfamiliar place even made living with Twolegs seem more inviting. It didn't help that she wasn't able to get much rest either, with no proper nest to sleep in and her kits kicking her belly all night long out of what she could only presume was anxiousness. Snowfrost was all but overjoyed to abandon her temporary den and finish her journey to Twolegplace. The sun shined down upon her back as she made her way towards the towering dens, warming her. It was a bit intimidating, knowing that one of the dens would be her new home. How would she know which to try and make her way into? Snowfrost caught the familiar scent of cat on the wind, what she could only assume to be the scent of kittypets. Perhaps trying a den which already housed a kittypet would be the most ideal place of living. After all, if a Twoleg was willing to keep one cat already, what's a couple more? Not to mention it would be nice to have a friend. The pregnant molly looked up at a fence post which seemed wide enough to hold her, even at her ever growing plump size. She crouched down and made a hesitant jump, landing on the post in a clumsy manner. From this height she was able to see into the windows of a few dens stretching up and down the row. In one window, just three dens down to the left, she spotted the silhouette of a cat sitting on an indoor ledge, basking in the sun's morning rays. Snowfrost walked across the fences to the yard that connected to that den and hopped down. She remained crouched in the grass, feeling cautious. She looked around for a moment before rising to her paws. She knew the only way she was going to get inside was to get the Twolegs attention. The lynx point molly began to meow, walking up to the door of the den and scratching on it with her claws. She made sure to make her cries sound pitiful and half starved-as a few of her friends from Oceanclan had taught her to do. Soon enough, her cries were answered. A tall Twoleg with long fur on top of its head peered down at Snowfrost from the doorway. She looked up at it with round, sad eyes. Snowfrost rolled onto her belly, revealing her pregnancy in hopes that the Twoleg would take pity on her. The tall creature let out an "aww" noise and bent down. Gently it reached for her belly, and though Snowfrost was nervous, she let it touch her there anyways. Its large paw felt strangely warm against her round belly, and her kits seemed to wiggle in response. The Twoleg reached down a second paw and scooped Snowfrost up, carrying her inside. It lumbered around deep inside of the den, carefully setting down the plump molly onto a weird, yet soft surface before walking away. The area Snowfrost was now laying on was a large, bush shaped thing which felt soft and cushy like a nest. Surprisingly, it was comfortable. Snowfrost found herself being able to easily relax. She rested her chin on her paws and closed her eyes, taking a short nap. When she woke up, a cat was sitting on the ground beneath the bush-nest thing, staring up at her.

"Hello," the cat greeted, jumping up to sit beside her new denmate. She gave Snowfrost a little sniff. "Did you enjoy your little nap?"

"Greetings." Snowfrost yawned, sprawling herself out to make herself and her kits more comfortable. "I did, actually. Thank you. I hope I'm not intruding."

The other cat purred. "Not at all! I can see you could use all the comfort you can get right now. There's plenty of room on the couch for both of us anyways." She laid down on the couch next to Snowfrost, cleaning one of her front paws.

"My name's Misty by the way. What's yours?"

"My name is Snowfrost. Though, I'm sure your Twoleg will call me by something else soon." Misty looked at Snowfrost oddly, most likely because of the unfamiliar vocabulary she was using.

"That's a strange name. Where'd you come from?"

"I come from Grassclan. It's a clan that claims the meadow as it's territory," Snowfrost answered simply. Misty bobbed her head, cleaning her chest fur.

"Ah, so that's why you smell like dew and wildflowers. That's pretty neat, that you're a wild cat. Or were. I'm sure you'll find being a house cat far more rewarding though."

"Oh yes, I'm sure I will," Snowfrost responded, her tone laced with sarcasm. She rolled her eyes. Misty didn't seem to notice or care, she was too busy grooming herself. Snowfrost took the opportunity to study her new kittypet companion while she was distracted. The she-cat was youthful looking; possibly around Snowfrost's age. Her fur was a silky medium length; a dark silver-grey color with faded black stripes swirling around her flanks and striking her forehead. A long, feathery tail completed her coat. Her eyes were round, tinted an odd greenish-blue color, bright and full of youth. Around her neck she wore a yellow collar with little bumble bees printed on it, and shiny metal tags hung from the ring attached to the front of it. Overall she looked well taken care of, and Snowfrost silently praised herself for choosing the perfect den to move into.

"Hey, I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you," Misty deadpanned as she smoothed down the fur on her shoulder. Snowfrost twitched her whiskers.

"Why not?"

"I hear my housefolk setting up the cat carrier. Looks like you're taking a trip to the vet," the young she-cat replied, flicking and ear in the direction of a strange crackling noise. A moment passed and sure enough the Twoleg walked into the area, carrying a strange grey box. At the sight, Misty jumped off the couch and darted away to an unknown location. Snowfrost didn't know what was going on, or have the energy to run away. She allowed the Twoleg to pick her up with ease. It handled her delicately, placing her inside the box on top of a fluffy surface which she could only assume was some kind of super soft pelt that was used for bedding. Snowfrost snuggled into it, the fur pelt warming her belly and settling her restless unborn children. She looked out at the view beyond the bars of the cage with curiosity. Her heart dropped when she noticed she was being carried outside and towards a monster. _Is the Twoleg going to feed me to it?!_ she screamed internationally, beginning to panic. The pregnant she-cat moved to the cage's back wall, cowering there. She began to wail, begging to be set free. I _don't want this! I thought the Twoleg would take care of us!_

The Twoleg opened up the monster's flank, placing Snowfrost's cage inside. She continued to wail, praying silently that Starclan would save her and her kits. The time she was kept in the cage inside the monster wasn't that long at all, and before she knew it the Twoleg was back to carry the cage again. It took her away, into a strange den. A powerful smell of fear smacked Snowfrost in the face as soon as they entered, almost choking her. Another assortment of scents mingled with it, that of cat and dog. Anxiety drove Snowfrost to fall silent; she didn't want to draw attention to herself. She parted her jaws, panting, trying to calm down. From the view of her cage she could see a couple of dogs laying on the floor beside their Twolegs. They whimpered, tails quivering with fear. A few cages also sat in the room with Twolegs, the scent of cat emanating from them. Time seemed to stand still. It was hard to tell how long the cage remained stationary before it was lifted again, carried into a strange area. Blinding white light filled the lynx point she-cat's vision, disorienting her as the cage was opened. She was dragged out by the long, lanky paws of her Twoleg, placed onto a cold metal surface. She trembled as she stared up at the face of a new Twoleg with loose white fur along its arms. Its paws were covered in a strange white film which made a snap sound when plucked at the edges by the Twoleg's dull claws. Snowfrost's eyes grew wide as she realized what kind of Twoleg it was. This was the Cutter. The strange creature wrapped Its paws around her, flipping her onto her back. It shined a light into her eyes then massaged her belly for a moment. Her kits kicked wildly in protest, trembling inside her.

"Don't hurt them!" She pleaded. The Cutter held something strange up to her for a few heartbeats then left for a while. Snowfrost was placed back in the cage soon after. When the Cutter returned she watched the two creatures communicate from the safety of her pelt lined cage, unable to calm herself. The Cutter placed something over a light on the wall which revealed an image of something that resembled bones on a blackish-blue background. It pointed to the image, and the more familiar Twoleg nodded, muttering something incomprehensible. Snowfrost wondered what was going on and let out a small sigh, resting her chin on her paws. Suddenly a realization occurred to her. Her kits had stopped moving. She began to panic again. Had all the jostling harmed her kits? The lynx point molly pressed her nose into her side, feeling for signs of life. Relief washed over her as she felt a tiny foot kick her flank. A sensation of lightheadedness overcame her and Snowfrost decided to try and sleep while she could.

When she woke up, she was back in the Twoleg's den. Her Twoleg released her from the cage, leaving her on the couch where it had originally found her before the whole "vet" ordeal. Not long after, Misty came bounding up to her.

"Hey there, Snowfrost! How'd it go?" she asked nonchalantly, jumping onto the arm of the couch to peer down at the older molly.

"It was terrifying!" Snowfrost shook out her pelt as if to rid herself of her fear. Misty chuckled.

"Yeah, the vet is a pretty scary thing to encounter. Did it poke you with anything sharp?"

Snowfrost shook her head, tucking her paws under herself with some difficulty.

"Huh. Lucky furball. Usually that's what happens when you go there. Maybe they didn't poke you because of your kittens. Either way, be glad that it's over. I'm going to let you rest. I'll show you around later when you're up for it." Misty jumped down from the couch, padding away to another part of the den. Now that she felt safe and comfortable, Snowfrost closed her eyes, falling back to sleep. She was woken up later on by her growling stomach. Nausea churned inside her, driving her to get up and look for food. She knew there'd be no way to hunt right now if she made it outside so she'd reluctantly have to choke down whatever pellets or slop that she would be fed. Snowfrost made her way to the floor, looking for the area where the Twoleg would feed them. As she searched, a tantilizing, meaty smell filled her nostrils. The scent made her mouth water and her stomach growl louder. Her kits kicked inside her as if begging their mother to find food. Not knowing her way around, she decided to find her silver furred denmate and ask for directions. A couple foxlengths away she found Misty batting at a fake mouse, tossing it into the air like a kit playing mossball. Snowfrost cleared her throat to catch the younger molly's attention.

"Do you know what that smell is?" she asked. Misty gave the air a sniff and licked her lips, beaming.

"Yeah, dinner!" She beckoned the lynx point molly with her tail, walking off into another area of the den. Snowfrost followed closely behind. This part of the den had a strange floor. Rather than fake grey grass, it was covered in a reflective surface which resembled a frozen pond. Misty walked easily across it as if it were nothing, and Snowfrost followed suit. She sat a few tail lengths away while Misty pestered the Twoleg, circling around Its legs, begging to be fed. The Twoleg turned, holding something out which held the source of the delicious prey smell. It trudged over to where Snowfrost sat, placing the food down. Whatever it was, it didn't look like any sort of prey the pregnant molly had seen before, but she didn't care. Without hesitation, Snowfrost dug into the food, despite the thick cloud of steam rising from the flesh. She trilled, delighted to find out that the food was in fact real fresh, hot meat. It wasn't half bad either, not comparable to rabbit of course, but it was far from disgusting. Misty padded over to join Snowfrost in the feast.

"How do you like it?" she asked.

"It's delicious. It tastes kind of like black bird." Snowfrost swallowed a large chunk, taking another bite. "What is it?"

"It's chicken," Misty replied. Snowfrost recalled the animal; it was a type of bird which grew as large as an apprentice, and as fat as a kittypet. She remembered seeing them regularly on the farm on Grassclan territory. The clan was forbidden from hunting them to deter the farmer from believing cats to be pests. Now that she knew what it tasted like, she thought about what a shame it was that her clan couldn't try it themselves. There was always an abundance of chickens on the farm even in Leafbare, enough to support the whole clan with plenty to spare. Snowfrost wondered if the farmer would really be able to notice if a few went missing. She made a mental note to tell the clan about this discovery if she were to ever return home. It didn't take long for the two she-cats to finish off their meaty feast. With bellies full, Misty showed Snowfrost one of the most comfortable places for lounging and invited her to lay awhile. Not wanting to turn away such a generous offer, she did. She groomed herself a while, glanced around at her surroundings after, then eventually began to doze off again.


	5. Chapter 4

Snowfrost found herself rudely awoken the next morning. Something round and furry had hit her in the muzzle, startling her out of her dreams. In the nest in front of her lay Misty's fake mouse, and a tail-length away stood Misty. There was a guilty look upon her face, although the kittypet forced herself to smile and chuckle.

"Sorry, Snowfrost," she mewed, lowering her ears. Snowfrost rolled her eyes, picking up the toy with a claw and tossed it back to her denmate. After, she sat upright in her resting place.

"You are forgiven. Just don't play near me while I am sleeping again," she responded as she began to wash her face, sounding colder than she'd meant. Misty muttered another soft apology, picking up her toy to play with elsewhere. Snowfrost took this time alone to properly wash herself, checking on the kits in her belly when she finished. Seeing everything was now in order, Snowfrost stood. After giving a good stretch, she padded off to have a bite to eat. She was pleasantly suprised to find more food in place of where last night's meal had been. It was cold this time, but Snowfrost wasn't about to be picky. She gobbled up a huge portion of the chicken, cleaning off her whiskers, before walking off to explore her new territory. Many strange objects towered before her, some brightly colored, others made out of wood. Snowfrost wondered what some of these things were. Along her walk, Snowfrost spotted Misty playing alone in a corner. She was tangled up in a pink colored vine, rolling and tussling about, though she didn't seem to be trapped or in distress. In fact the giggles that rose from where she played told otherwise. _Kittypets are amused by the simplest of things._

"Misty?" She called as she stopped in front of her denmate. Misty glanced up at her from her place on the floor. In this moment she was upside down, rear propped up by the wall behind her. Part of the vine was trapped between her teeth, as if she were feigning a killing blow to a piece of prey. She almost appeared kit-like this way.

"Is there any way you could give me a tour? Perhaps teach me about all these sorts of Twoleg items that are laying about everywhere?"

Misty let out another giggle, flipping over and dropping her toy. "Oh yes, I'd loved to!" She swished her tail invitingly, prompting Snowfrost to follow.

"Let me show you what's in this part of the den first. Different areas in housefolk dens are called 'rooms' and this one is called the livingroom," she began. "You already know the couch, which is a main attraction here. And with it usually goes the magic vision box."

Snowfrost followed her companion like a curious kit, learning everything she could about her new surroundings. Her ears were trained on the other molly's voice, clinging to her every word. If Snowfrost was going to stay in a place like this, she realized she'd have to know what sorts of objects she would be dealing with. After all, she needed to make sure things were safe for her kits.

As they padded from room to room, Misty taught Snowfrost the names of things that she knew in Twoleg Speech. Things such as table, kitchen, yard, house. And for whatever she didn't know the proper name of, Misty taught her the language kittypets used. For instance, Twolegs were called "housefolk", which Snowfrost found odd, but supposed it made sense.

By the time the tour was over, Snowfrost's head was reeling. She felt as if she was an apprentice again, exploring the territory for the first time; yet she'd walked barely a flea-length of the distance and was just as tired. When the two she-cat's returned to the living room, Snowfrost felt drained. She jumped up onto the couch and settled herself down, soothing her restless brood of unborn kits in the process. Misty leaped up after her, turning in place to groom the base of her tail.

"So how do you like the house?" She asked.

"I suppose it's nice, for a Twoleg's den. It seems safe enough. I'm sure I will settle in just fine."

"That's good to hear. I think your kits will like it too. We'll have lots of fun around here. Oh, and just wait until we explore outside the house tomorrow!"

Tomorrow? Snowfrost hadn't realized the Twoleg would even consider letting them outside.

"We just have to wait until you get your collar. I heard our housefolk mention the word earlier. I think it's what she left the house to do."

Snowfrost grimaced. A collar? Surely she did not need such an obvious mark of ownership, right?

"What is the point of me wearing one? I am no one's belonging. I am already bound to this place because of my kits, is that not enough?"

Misty turned, blinking at the other molly. "Oh it's not about that! It's in case we ever wander too far, or get lost. It's so other housefolk know where we belong, and so they can bring us home."

Snowfrost could only muster a disgruntled huff, still not keen on having to have something hung around her neck. As she adjusted herself and rested her head on her paws, the front door of the house creeked open, allowing their housefolk to come inside. The lumbering creature padded its way over to the couch where its two willing captives lay. Misty stood up with a welcoming trill, receiving a pat on the head. Snowfrost growled as the Twoleg attempted to do the same with her. Despite her warning growls, the seemingly daft beast scooped Snowfrost up. It placed the pregnant she-cat onto its lap, running its paw along her back. It seemed that it was trying to soothe her. Though she was still on edge, Snowfrost allowed her guard to drop a little. She wouldn't get anywhere if she didn't try to get along with her new housefolk. And the creature was being gentle enough. Snowfrost was a reasonable cat, she could level with this Twoleg as long as it didn't try anything funny. So she inevitably allowed it to pet her. And soon, she allowed it to claim her.

From it's pelt, the Twoleg pulled out a brand new collar, opening it and fastening it around Snowfrost's neck. It was uncomfortable, but it gave her plenty of room to breathe. With a glance, Snowfrost could tell the patterning laced against the strange material. The main collar was blue with white snowflakes along it. In the front there was a heart shaped tag, and a little white bell which made an oddly pleasant sound when she moved. It would take some getting used to, much like everything else, but Snowfrost would adapt quickly. With its business taken care of, the Twoleg allowed Snowfrost to go free. Snowfrost happily hopped off the creature's lap, padding across the floor to find a more quiet place to sleep. _The couch is too busy of an area. I'll have to find somewhere else to nest for the evening._ Using the knowledge she obtained during Misty's tour, Snowfrost wandered into another part of the house. There she found a cave known as a "closet" which seemed dark and comfortable enough to sleep in. Snowfrost felt a kick in her stomach from her kits, urging her to go inside. The molly didn't argue, pushing her way inside the small space. Snowfrost turned in place upon a soft Twoleg pelt and laid herself down. She gave herself a good wash and finally let sleep welcome her.


	6. Chapter 5

Hours had passed. How many exactly, Snowfrost was not sure. However long it might have been was enough to make Misty worry.

"Snowflake? Hey Snowflake, where are you?" She called. Snowfrost lifted her head to respond but hesitated a heartbeat. Was Misty talking to _her_? Or was there another cat in the house? Regardless, Snowfrost decided to answer the other cat's calls and come out of the closet.

"Are you addressing me?" She asked as she came to stand before her housemate.

Misty instantly brightened at the sight of Snowfrost. Her tail raised high and quivered in greetings.

"Of course! Who else would I be talking to?" She giggled.

"You are aware that my name is Snowfrost and not Snowflake, correct?" Inquired the pregnant molly, flicking her ear.

"Well, Snowflake is the name our housefolk is calling you by. So I thought I should call you that too."

So she had been given a kittypet name? Snowfrost resisted the urge to grimace in response. First she received a collar of ownership, and now a name change. Pretty soon, she wouldn't even be a clan cat anymore. Though she'd known it was inevitable for her name to change, she still wasn't happy. _No_, Snowfrost growled internally. _Starclan chose my name. Even though they no longer speak to me, I can't disrespect them by changing it. I am Snowfrost. I always will be._ Snowfrost took an extra heartbeat to gain her composure before speaking again.

"I appreciate you trying to help me adapt to this new life. But if it's all the same to you, I will remain as I am. Please don't refer to me as 'Snowflake'," she requested.

"Are you sure? Snowflake sounds just as pretty as Snowfrost," Misty tried to persuade, as naive as a kit to the ways of clan culture.

"I'm quite sure. My name holds special meaning. Changing it would be blasphemy. And a scratch in the face of my mentor who gave it to me."

Misty gave Snowfrost a strange look before licking down her chest fur. "Well alright. But I doubt the other housecats will be as easily convinced."

"And why would they need convincing?"

"Well, some of the housecats can read Twoleg language. They'll see that your collar says 'Snowflake', and won't call you anything else." Ah. So kittypets were as stubborn as Snowfrost had heard. They must be the sort to hear an idea and latch to it like a kitten to its mother's teet. Still, if those pampered Twolegs' toys could be adamant, then so could she.

"Then I will just have to persuade them, won't I?"

Misty shook her head doubtfully before flicking her tail. She beckoned Snowfrost to follow her across the house to what the kittypet referred to as "the back door". There, Misty let out a loud chorus of meows, attracting the attention of their housefolk. The giant creature stomped its way over, bending down to pet each cat. Then it stood upright and pryed open the door. Misty trilled out a thank you, scampering out the open entryway with eagerness. Snowfrost followed behind at a more leisurely pace. She wasn't too keen on meeting the new neighbors. But she was thrilled to be outside again. How long had it been since she'd felt fresh air on her whiskers? At least two or three days. Maybe an eon. Being pregnant made time feel so chaotic. But the sight of the bright sun and cloudless sky helped Snowfrost gain back some sense of it. Though she wouldn't know for sure until she saw the moon. _I must keep track of time. I have to monitor how far along I am becoming_.

Snowfrost was pulled from her thoughts as Misty yelled out to her from across the yard. Snowfrost quickened her pace a little to a trot. She settled in front of her companion who stood beside a bush.

"Hey you're a wild cat, do you know anything about these berries?"

Snowfrost took another pawstep forward to take a sniff of them.

"It's juniper," she answered surely, "they're for soothing bellyache."

"Really?" Misty seemed amazed by Snowfrost's very simple knowledge. "How do you know that?"

Snowfrost raised her chin a little pridefully. "I'm a medicine cat. It's my job to know. I studied herbs like this for ten moons as a young cat. And I have been my clan's sole healer for the past two years. Up until now, I suppose."

Misty stared at her companion, eyes sparkling with intrigue. A wide smile spread across her muzzle. "Wow that's pretty neat! Maybe you could teach me about plants and stuff sometime? And if you do, then I can help take care of you when it's time for your kits to come."

That actually didn't sound like too bad of an idea. Though in some way it made Snowfrost feel unsure. She'd failed to complete her first apprentice's training by abandoning her still as a 'paw. And Misty wasn't even a clan cat, muchless a medicine cat apprentice. Still, it could be beneficial for both of them if the other cat learned about herbs. It wasn't wrong to teach a cat how to heal.

"I'll think about it," Snowfrost decided. Misty seemed satisfied by that response, and dropped the subject for now.

The grey tabby kittypet beckoned with her tail once more, leading the way to the fence which marked the end of their territory. Misty, showing herself to be clever, walked through a large gap between the white posts. Snowfrost followed cautiously behind, afraid to get her belly caught or scraped against the unnaturally colored wood. Safely through, the two she-cats made their way to some of the neatby houses. In some of the yards, kittypets lounged in the sun, and played with things in their gardens. Most cats seemed excited when Misty came into their yards. Misty acted just the same, enthusiastically introducing her friends to her new housemate. Snowfrost felt a little overwhelmed by all the new smells and sights and cats she was exposed to. So many strange names to memorize. Sparkles, Oreo, Prince, Felix, Bella, Pickles, Luna, Rocky, Angel. Misty was certainly popular. And her friends certainly were annoying. Half of them seemed dumber than a mouse. While others were far too nosy, reading the name from Snowfrost's collar. And some cats were downright rude. One cat called her fat, while another kept getting too close. _The nerve of some kittypets. I don't know how much more of this I can take._

"C'mon, Snowfrost! There's just one more cat I'd like you to meet!" Misty mewed.

Snowfrost resisted the urge to groan. Please let this one be tolerable. The two she-cat jogged back down the gravel path, in the direction of their den. They passed it, stopping in front of the third house down the row. _This was the first house I saw when I'd arrived at Twolegplace_, Snowfrost realized. She hadn't recognized it from the back. Misty called to her, leading her beneath the fence and to the back door of the house.

Unlike the other yards they'd visited, there was no kittypet waiting outside. Nor was there any openings for a cat to crawl through like in some of the houses. There was, however, a large space open within the house. But when Snowfrost moved to try and walk inside, she was blocked by an invisible barrier. It felt like the same thing used on windows.

"It's a sliding glass door. We won't be able to get inside unless the housefolk opens it up. But they won't."

_They won't?_ Snowfrost's mind parroted. Then, how were they going to meet the cat who supposedly lived inside this place? Misty answered that question with a chorus of yowls. Her noise brought forth the attention of a cat within the den. The kittypet trotted up to the glass, carefully seating herself in front of it. This cat was a bit strange looking. She had a pointed head with a muzzel shorter than a Grassclan cat's. Large ears, and smooth white and black patched fur. She appeared to have a black rabbit's tail instead of a cat's. And her eyes were a lovely shade of blue. The cat's most noticeable feature was her plump belly. Though it didn't appear squishy or flabby. Snowfrost knew by sight alone this cat was pregnant. Perhaps as far along as she was.

"Usagi, hello!" Misty meowed loudly. "It's good to see you. Meet my new housemate, Snowfrost."

"It is good to see you too, Misty. Hello, Snowfrost. It is lovely to meet you." The cat, Usagi, dipped her head in greetings. Her voice was very soothing, although muffled by the glass in their way. "Where do you come from? You look quite exotic. Perchance, are you a purebred like I am? It would be wonderful to know more show cats outside of the show ring."

"I come from the meadow," Snowfrost answer simply. "I'm not sure what a 'purebred' is, I'm afraid. Or a 'show ring.' "

Usagi shuffled her paws a bit; she seemed to be getting nervous. "You are...a stray? A wild cat?"

Snowfrost twitched her whiskers. "I am. Or, rather, I was. I live here now. I came here to give my kits a good life. I see you are expecting, too. Has your pregnancy been going well?"

At the mention of kits, Usagi seemed to brighten. "My pregnancy is well monitored. My housefolk take excellent care of us. He says that I should expect four kittens. I am sure my mate will be pleased. Speaking of him, I must return to my nest. Misty knows how mad Hiro becomes when I talk to cats outside of the house." Usagi rose to her paws, giving herself a good stretch. "Until next time, Misty, Snowfrost." The molly dipped her head once more before turning and walking out of sight, deeper into her den.

"Isn't she nice?" Misty asked. "I'm sure you two will become fast friends over time. Anyways, we'd better get home. I bet it's almost lunchtime!"

Snowfrost's belly began to growl at the mention of a meal. Her kits seemed to squirm in response as well. With an agreeing nod, the two mollies left the show cat's house behind, padding down the line back to their own den.


	7. Chapter 6

The next day, Snowfrost woke up bright and early. She felt more chipper today than the one before, refreshed by a good night's rest and a full belly. Her unborn kits seemed content too, not making much of a fuss inside of her execpt to test their new growing limbs. What would she do today? Snowfrost pondered this question as she did her morning routine, wasing her pelt. Perhaps she could go outside today, maybe even away from the kittypets. The thought was compelling. Snowfrost sat up when she was satisfied with her cleanliness. A clear plan was settled into her mind. With a heave, the pregnant molly made her way to the front door. She looked around cautiously for her denmate, not wanting to be caught by her. About two bear lengths away, Misty was awake playing with one of her many toys. This time it was a vine which had a fake fish tied to the end of it. _Is this really how kittypets entertain themselves all day?_ Snowfrost resisted the urge to snort. This certainly wasn't much of a way to live. Perhaps though, this was what Misty found enjoyable. Regardless, Snowfrost found it to be stupid.

With a shake of her head, Snowfrost tiptoed past Misty's line of sight and out the door through an opening.

Fresh air filtered itself around her as Snowfrost emerged into the open. Early morning birdsong filled the air, welcoming in a sunny day. It was nice out, although a bit chilly. But it wasn't anything Snowfrost couldn't handle. Fluffing up a little, the lynx point molly padded through the yard. Where would she go today, she wondered. Perhaps she would aimlessly wander around to learn the territory-neighborhood- better. And maybe visit that odd kittypet, Usagi. First, though, she'd have to find the show cat's house on her own. It wouldn't be too hard. _Three dens down, right?_ She thought to herself as she slipped out of the yard. As Snowfrost padded along, she took in the scenery that the territory had to offer. Most of the houses looked the same, with varying colored tops and different fencing marking each territory. And on the opposite side, beyond the Twolegplace, was a forest. _Isn't that Treeclan's territory?_ Snowfrost realized. The fur on the back of her neck began to rise. She hoped no passing warrior would see her here.

Regardless of her worry, Snowfrost pressed on. She slid through a hole in the fence of Usagi's garden when she reached her territory, peering ahead at the house. Usagi was laying by the glass door, splayed out so sunlight could warm her pregnant belly. Her eyes were closed, a peaceful smile was on her face. She looked so content. Snowfrost hated to bother her. But before she had a chance to, she was spotted.

A new cat appeared by the invisible door, similar looking to Usagi but larger. The cat had a sturdier build and less black patches on their fur. They also appeared to be taller, and physically fit by kittypet standards. The cat was bristling, staring right at Snowfrost. They let out a hiss, startling Usagi.

"Hiro, my love, what ever is the matter?" Snowfrost heard the show cat meep.

"There is a stray here," the tom snarled. Usagi blinked and turned her gaze, smiling a little when she finally noticed her visitor. She pushed herself to her paws, her nubny black tail raising high happily.

"Calm yourself, Hiro. It is only Snowfrost. She is Misty's new housemate. She is not a stray anymore, she is a house cat just like us. She's a very nice cat, you two may get along, if you were to give her a chance-"

"So she was a stray?" Hiro growled, interrupting his mate. The tom seemed to grow angrier as he discovered this information. In fact, he seemed to ignore everything else Usagi had said. Hiro's only focus was on the fact that Snowfrost had been born wild. Usagi shrank in her place, folding back her ears. She seemed instantly regretful of her words. Hiro wiggled his nubby tail, baring his teeth threateningly. "You. Get out of our housefolk's garden. Filth like you is not welcomed here!"

_Filth?!_ Snowfrost drew her ears back in fury. She wanted to spit at this tom, argue with him to make him understand the error of his insult. She was no meer stray, not like one Hiro had ever known. Snowfrost was not dirty and lawless like some rouge, she was a healer. Sophisticated, well trained, a servant of Starclan. Her parents and Softpetal had raised her right. Unlike Hiro's family, clearly. This cat needed to be taught a lesson.

But before she could lash out, Snowfrost stopped herself. One look at Usagi showed that this was no time for a fight. The queen was scared, and anxious. Two things that were no good for an expecting cat. So regrettably Snowfrost bit her tongue. She lashed her tail and turned herself around. She walked out of the garden and traveled three houses down, back to her own new territory. She would come vack another time to visit Usagi, hopefully at a time when Hiro was not around.

For now, Snowfrost would have to find something else to entertain herself. Arriving at the house, Snowfrost jumped onto the fence, ready to leap down and go back inside for a little while. But something stopped her. Some strange sense within her heart compelled her to stay. To turn around. To watch the trees.

Snowfrost narrowed her eyes as she peered across the yard into the forest beyond. If she looked hard enough, perhaps she could catch a glimpse of some forest cats. How often did Treeclan check this border, she wondered. Why was she doing this in the first place? Snowfrost shook her head, about to force herself to turn around. She felt ridiculous. But then, there was movement in the bushes beyond. Snowfrost's breath caught as four cats emerged from the woods. Among the patrol she could make out the pelts of the warriors Beetlenose and Robinspots. Treeclan's deputy, Thornberry was also in the group. But Snowfrost wasn't interested in any of them. She was most interested in the fouth cat. Wolfheart was among the patrol, padding by Thornberry's side. Snowfrost felt her heart leap for joy at the sight of him. She could hardly stop herself leaping off the fence, running ahead at full speed directly towards the patrol. But she caught herself before it was too late, diving into a nearby bush to hide. In the safety of her shrub, the pregnant she-cat could observe the enemy patrol without worry.

"Tell me, Wolfpaw, what do you scent at the border?" Snowfrost heard Thornberry ask. Wolfpaw? Snowfrost's belly twisted. _He's been punished. Given a Warriorpaw ceremony. But why..?_

"Nothing unusual," Wolfpaw reported after giving the air a brief sniff. His voice was flat; he sounded completely disinterested in the report. "There's a pregnant kittypet nearby. Can't tell how close, but the scent's fresh. Other than that, everything seems fine."

Was she that obvious? Snowfrost felt embarrassed that she could be so easily detected. But at least none of the cats knew the smell was hers. Nor did they seem to realise how close she was to them.

"Excellent work," Thornberry praised as if he were Wolfpaw's mentor. _Perhaps he's the one who was assigned to "reteach" him._ Wolfpaw smiled, although his eyes betrayed him. The tom seemed ashamed by the treatment he was receiving. But that was the point of undergoing a Warriorpaw ceremony. Snowfrost pitied him.

"Come on, let's check the Grassclan border next. After that we can go home and get something to eat."

The other toms meowed in agreement, wasting no time in turning tail and retreating back into the trees. Wolfpaw lingered behind his clanmates to stare off into Twolegplace for a few heartbeats. Snowfrost wondered if perhaps he did recognize her scent. Should she reveal herself now that he was alone? _No. Wolfheart doesn't need to see me like this_, she decided. Snowfrost waited for the tom to finally leave before crawling out from beneath the bush. She slinked her way back to her new home, clumsily jumping up and over the fence, and walked herself into her den without so much as a glance behind her.

"Oh there you are! I was starting to worry about you. Where did you go?" Misty mewed as Snowfrost padded past. The lynx point molly didn't say a word to her companion. She simply moved on, towards the back of the house, and into the closet she had taken up as her nesting area. Misty followed behind her the entire way.

"I needed some fresh air," Snowfrost finally answered as she settled onto a Twoleg pelt. She didn't want to bother with explaining herself. But Misty seemed dissatisfied with her response. The grey tabby furrowed her brow, swaying her tail with concern. Snowfrost simply glanced away.

For some reason, Misty seemed to take this as an invitation to come lay beside her. The other she-cat curled her fluffy body around Snowfrost's, resting her tail along her flank. Snowfrost's kits shuffled within her in response to the foreign touch. They seemed to enjoy it.

"Maybe you'll want to talk about it later?" Misty wondered aloud.

"Perhaps," was the simple reply Snowfrost gave in return. She felt a bit too flustered now to say anything, a welcomed change from the moodiness that kept her from sharing previously. It was so strange to have another cat to curl up with. Snowfrost hadn't had any cat lay beside her like this since Wolfheart had broken up with her. Jaybird had snuggled with her then, comforting Snowfrost as she cried over her love that'd left her for another molly. Jaybird was the only cat in Grassclan that knew about the relationship. Snowfrost was grateful for her support. Perhaps now she could trust this new cat to lift her spirits, as her sister had done in the past. They were living together after all. Soon, Misty would probably be helping Snowfrost entertaine her kits. It was a nice thought. Snowfrost decided now that she'd allow herself to let her guard down, at least a little, and to let this other cat into her life.

For the remainder of their time awake, the two she-cats shared tongues and talked. Snowfrost finally came around and explained where she'd been, and explained a little bit about why she was here in Twolegplace. Misty was understanding, and a very good listener. She told a few jokes to make Snowfrost smile when her explanation started to bring her down. It was appreciated. Snowfrost hadn't felt this happy in a while. Soon enough, talking led to fatigue and the two mollies settled down for a nap.


	8. Chapter 7

Time seemed to pass on quicker from that day on. Before Snowfrost knew it, an entire moon had passed since her arrival at Twolegplace. The end of her pregnancy was drawing near. But for the time she had been a kittypet, giving birth was one of the last things on her mind.

To this day she was learning about Twoleg things. And when Misty wasn't busy educating her, the kittypet was busy boasting about how her Twoleg-_their housefolk_\- was the best in the neighborhood. Misty made mention of how their housefolk was the only one to feed its house cats actual meat instead of regular kittypet food, and let them sleep in its bed for warmth if they so choose. She snickered about the jealousy other cats would express, saying some of them even tried to move in with her before.

When she wasn't boasting, Misty was pestering Snowfrost to talk about life in the wild. It was hard for her to talk about, Snowfrost still missed her life in the meadow dearly. But to entertain the other she-cat she spoke of it anyways. She'd tell Misty of battles once described to her by Grassclan warriors who'd shown up to her den injured, and talked about how she'd help the queens have their kits. She spoke about the feeling of the wind blowing through one's fur, the smell of grass and wildflowers clinging to one's pelt, and the reassurance that the clan was always with you even when you're all alone.

"It sounds like fun, but I don't think that life would be better than the life we have here." She'd usually say.

"It isn't supposed to be fun," Snowfrost would respond, usually with annoyance. "Being a warrior and living in a clan is hard work."

It never seemed to get through to the molly but Snowfrost didn't really care. She figured Misty got enough freedom when the two of them were allowed out to explore the neighborhood. On the house's front door was a square shaped hole covered over by a weird veil. Snowfrost and Misty would use it to come in and out as they pleased whenever it was open. Outside, the pair were usually hanging around with some of the other kittypets in the neighborhood. Snowfrost kept her distance from them, rancorous about having to be considered one of them. When she saw Misty and her friends, she was reminded of the life she left behind, and the new one she and her little family would lead. In this world she was Snowflake; a former stray, turned house cat and soon-to-be-mother. Here, she was no better than any other kittypet. It sickened her.

No matter how well she adjusted, every day in this place drove her mad. As Snowfrost learned the territory better she began to wander off on her own more. She needed space and time to think, away from the suffocating life with Twolegs. Snowfrost would often look at the meadow beyond Twolegplace with longing, then steer herself back towards the houses. Sometimes she'd go into neighboring yards to look in the windows and see how other kittypets lived. Most of the time she'd find them with their Twolegs, playing with them, laying on their laps. She'd wonder how they could be content with such a life, never having a care in the world.

On many of her explorations, Snowfrost would take the time to visit her newfound friend Usagi. Usagi was the cat Snowfrost would talk to the most in Twolegplace, along with Misty. Though conversations with the show cat were challenging; between the glass door that always seperated them, and the meddling of Usagi's jerk of a mate. Still they managed to make a friendship work. Snowfrost came to learn how overly sheltered Usagi was compared to most kittypets. For instance, she had never been outside on her own before, without being confined in a crate by her housefolk. Although Snowfrost had come to know this to be an average ordeal; a lot of kittypets were not allowed outside. What was strange though, was Usagi didn't seem to know how to function without the assistance of Twolegs. Her Twolegs would groom her fur, feed her on a precise schedule, and dress her in various gaudy looking pelts for warmth, as well as something Usagi referred to as "fashion". More recently, the Twolegs started keeping Usagi isolated in a room the closer she came to giving birth. Usagi didn't seem to have much enrichment in her environment, and so she took great interest in Snowfrost during visits. Though if Hiro even suspected the pair were conversing he would snap at his mate, and herd Usagi back to the "safety" of her room. Snowfrost pitied the poor queen. So much, that she'd taken to visiting her quite regularly, to talk and to check on her condition. Even if Usagi was being watched over by her Twolegs and mate, nothing beat the watchful eye of a medicine cat.

For this evening's visit, Snowfrost jumped onto a window ledge of by the back of the house to look in on the kittypet queen. She watched Usagi as she stepped into a nest and curled herself around something squirming inside. Nestled against the she-cat's belly were four newborn kits, all carbon copies of herself. Snowfrost could see how their thin pelts still shined with the wetness of afterbirth. This was her third litter, Snowfrost recalled Usagi informing her.

A pit formed in lynx point molly's stomach as she watched the happy family. These kits would never have to learn the hardships of the wild. All they'd ever know, and all their ancestors ever knew, was right there in that house. They'd get to lead soft lives full of dullness and boundaries. And one day, when they're old enough, they would be seperated. Snowfrost caught herself thinking about how her kits would come to be just like these kittypets, never knowing what true freedom tastes like. They would never learn to hunt, never get to experience the thrill of a naming ceremony. They would never celebrate clan holidays like Bloom's Day or The Longest Night and truly understand what they stand for. Would they even believe in Starclan? Would being fat, careless housecats really be the best life for them?

As the days grew closer to her kitting these thoughts nagged Snowfrost more and more. Until one day it became unbearable.

_"Rest your head on my shoulder," Wolfheart purred. Snowfrost wasted no time moving closer to her love, pressing her more slender body into his. How had he even convinced her to climb up onto Split Rock? Sure no cat was here to yell at them for it, but Snowfrost still felt out of her element up here, like she could fall at any moment. But she knew she wouldn't fall, Wolfheart wouldn't let her. And even if she did, he'd be right here to catch her. Perhaps that's what persuaded her up here. She knew she could trust Wolfheart. She knew the risk was worth it, every heartbeat. A soft sigh escaped her muzzle, laced with content and relaxation. Wolfheart's fur was comfortable against her side, providing cushioning and reinforcement as the two cats sat there in the wide clearing, staring up at the soon to be full moon. The light cast silver sparkles along their pelts, illuminating them to look almost as brilliant as warriors of Starclan. Silverpelt shined favor upon them and Snowfrost felt an air of exultation about her. The future seemed so bright. Their love was strong, and their bond was perfect. Snowfrost felt butterflies in her stomach as she turned to Wolfheart and requested something special. She wanted to start a family. Although flustered, Wolfheart seemed excited by the idea. The pair stayed together for most of the night discussing how wonderful their kits would be. They'd be the perfect warriors; intelligent like Snowfrost, and strong like Wolfheart. Most of all they'd be loyal to their family, despite the distance they'd have with one of their parents. The pair grew more energized the longer they spoke, eventually leaping off of Split Rock to pad through the neutral territory to have some quality time. By sunrise, Snowfrost felt a change within herself. She could tell life was going to be more eventful from this point on, and she couldn't wait to see how things would turn out._

It was late into the night. Snowfrost woke with a start. A terrible feeling overcame the pregnant she-cat as she blinked open her tired blue eyes. Something inside of her was screaming, telling Snowfrost that this house, this neighborhood, wasn't safe enough for her to have her kits. An incredible new instinct overcame her and drove her to leave the warmth of her nest. As carefully as she could, Snowfrost snuck away from Misty's side and out of the closet. She padded over to the veil in the front door, pawing at it to see if it was open. When the flap moved, she was assured her escape. But before she could slip out a voice mewled out to her.

"Snowfrost?" Misty called from behind her. Snowfrost turned to face her denmate. A look of sadness was plastered on the silver tabby's face. "You're going away, aren't you?" She asked suddenly, as if she could read the older she-cat's mind.

"I have to..."

"I know you're not happy here," Misty interrupted. "But I could help you if you stayed! I'm great with kits, I could watch them for you while you play with the berries and flowers in the garden. Usagi could watch them too. And-and we can ask some of the loners if they can teach us how to hunt, and-"

"Misty." Snowfrost's mew was stern. "I know your intentions are good, and I am grateful for all of your help and support that you've provided this past moon. But this isn't the life I dreamed my kits would have. My kittens are supposed to become warriors. Each of them has strong warrior blood coursing through their veins. Their place is in the meadow, chasing rabbits and fighting battles. Not living in a house, playing with feather toys and curling up on some Twoleg's lap without a care. The Land's Star is part of them, as much as it's part of me. I have to go back."

Misty took a step forward, folding her ears back. "...Then take me with you."

"No."

"But I don't want you to go away! I'd miss you... It was so lonely here before you came. I like having a denmate, even if you are a bit standoffish sometimes. Seeing my friends for a limited amount of time every day just isn't enough. I need a companion. I need you, Snowfrost." Misty took another step forward, lowering her head. "I'll be a good warrior. I'll do everything your leader says, and work really hard to learn how to hunt and fight. Or maybe I could be a medicine cat, like you-"

"_No_," Snowfrost repeated herself, putting more harshness into her tone. "Your place is with your Twolegs. Besides, you like being a kittypet too much. I couldn't ask you to give up such a comfortable life all to come away with me. You aren't built for running across the meadow, or clawing at an enemy warrior, or even sorting through herbs. You would be just as miserable as a clan cat as I am as a house cat."

All went quiet for a while, the tension so thick between them that a cat could slice through it with a claw. The two mollies held each other's gaze waiting for the other to speak. But no sound came out, not until a rough kick slammed against Snowfrost's flank. She winced, backing up a bit. She hissed in pain, crouching on the floor for a heartbeat. After the pain began to ebb away, Snowfrost rose to her paws shakily. Her kits withered inside of her, as if impatient or distressed. _Let's go, mama_, they seemed to be urging her. In an instant Snowfrost whipped around and ran through the veil of the door, across the yard and to the fence. Climbing over it was a challenge, but she pulled through. When she was settled in the grass on the other side, something compelled her to look back. Whipping around, Snowfrost saw Misty leap onto the fence, watching her friend from the barrier with dark, depressed eyes. Her tail-tip swished slowly. Glimmering tears now streamed down her face, caught in the light of the moon. For just a moment, Snowfrost's heart ached.

"Goodbye..." Misty mewed solemnly.

Snowfrost dipped her head and forced herself to turn around. The pregnant molly stalked away into the night without so much as a glance behind her.


End file.
